Receiving arrangement for receiving shipments, for use in openings in buildings

ABSTRACT

A receiving assembly for receiving a shipment. The receiving assembly is used in a building opening to provide access to a room of the building. The receiving assembly includes a housing assembly which has a guide assembly, a door member which is movably mounted in the guide assembly, a drive device which drives the door member, a control device which controls the drive device, and a sensor. The housing assembly defines, together with a part of the room, a housing chamber. The sensor cooperates with the control device and exchanges electronic authorization information so that, in a first position of the door member, the building opening is closed, and in a second position of the door member, the building opening is open and the access to the room of the building is closed.

CROSS REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS

This application is a U.S. National Phase application under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/EP2018/070200, filed on Jul. 25, 2018. The International Application was published in German on Jan. 30, 2020 as WO 2020/020454 A1 under PCT Article 21(2).

FIELD

The present invention relates to a receiving assembly for receiving shipments to be used in openings in buildings which allow access to a room of a building, such as window openings, cellar openings, garage openings etc.

BACKGROUND

Numerous openings in buildings allow access to a room of a building, for example, roof openings which are closed by a roof hatch for providing a chimney sweep with access to the roof or for providing light and ventilation to a not yet fully upgraded attic. There also exist cellar openings which are closed by hatches which previously offered access to a coal cellar. There are also garage openings which offer access to a garage as a whole or which are formed in an existing garage door to offer access to the garage without operating the entire garage door. There also exist a plurality of openings in buildings which are closed in any form by windows, hatches, traps or doors and which are rarely used or which are not used at all.

The number of shipments in the form of packages and parcels is continuously increasing due to ever-expanding online mail order selling. A reliable delivery poses serious problems, in particular in medium-sized and small towns and in the countryside. Large parcel pick-up stations where the delivered shipments can be picked up are too expensive due to the small number of users. Residential density is furthermore frequently too low so that it is often not possible to hand over shipments to neighbors. Shipments must therefore frequently be taken back by the deliverer who must then again attempt delivery of the shipment. This problem may increase in the future in that unmanned delivery vehicles, such as drones, merely possess an authorization function for delivery to a specific user or to a specific building.

The provision of external receiving assemblies or receiving assemblies integrated in a building for shipments has previously been described. Reference is thereby made, for example, to DE 10 2015 104 052 A1 and to DE 10 2015 209 127 A1. An external receiving assembly is here disadvantageous in that it frequently does not fit into the surroundings and can be destroyed by vandalism. Such an external receiving assembly is also expensive to acquire. The integrated receiving assembly described in DE 10 2015 209 127 A1 has a very complex configuration and is therefore expensive. It also fails to offer sufficient protection against undesired access to the room of the building while the hatch is open, so that burglars, but also animals, can enter the building.

SUMMARY

An aspect of the present invention is to eliminate the aforementioned problems in a simple and inexpensive manner using existing openings in buildings and rooms in buildings.

In an embodiment, the present invention provides a receiving assembly for receiving a shipment. The receiving assembly is configured to be used in an opening of a building so as to provide access to a room of the building. The receiving assembly includes a housing assembly which comprises at least one guide assembly, at least one door member which is movably mounted in the at least one guide assembly, a drive device which is configured to drive the at least one door member, a control device which is configured to control the drive device, and at least one first sensor. The housing assembly is configured to define, together with a part of the room of the building, a housing chamber. The at least one first sensor is configured to cooperate with the control device and to exchange electronic authorization information so that, in a first position of the at least one door member, the opening of the building is closed, and in a second position of the at least one door member, the opening of the building is open and the access to the room of the building is closed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is described in greater detail below on the basis of embodiments and of the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a cellar opening closed by a cellar door assembly;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of a first embodiment of a receiving assembly for use in the cellar opening of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a top view of the receiving assembly of FIG. 2 in a first door position;

FIG. 4 shows a schematic side view of a second embodiment of a receiving assembly with a first position of a door member; and

FIG. 5 shows a schematic side view of the second embodiment of the receiving assembly with a second position of the door member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention provides a receiving assembly. A housing assembly is here provided which defines a housing chamber together with at least part of the room of the building and comprises at least one guide assembly. This housing assembly comprises a guide assembly in which at least one door member is movably mounted. The receiving assembly also has a drive device for the door member and a control device for controlling the drive device. At least one first sensor member is also provided which cooperates with the control device and is suitable for exchanging electronic authorization information. It can thereby be provided that in a first position of the door member the opening in the building is closed and in a second position of the door member the opening in the building is open and the access to the room of the building is closed. A retrofit solution for openings in buildings is thereby provided in a simple and inexpensive manner which allows receiving assemblies to be configured which enable receipt of shipments independent of any person present and which prevent access to the interior of the building. Since existing openings in the building can be used, wherein the guide assembly can be directly screwed to a vertical border strip of the wall penetration, the outer appearance of the building is not affected.

If the room of the building does not provide a defined delimitation or if such a defined delimitation is difficult to realize, it is advantageous that the housing assembly comprises at least two side portions which can at least partially join the corresponding side parts of opening surfaces of the openings in the building.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the first sensor member can, for example, be operable via a Bluetooth, GSM, NFC, RFID signal and/or an electronic radio signal. The same radio signals or radio signals changing in agreement with the respective sensor offer a particularly simple form of exchange of authorization information. It is thereby conceivable that a suitable radio signal for opening the receiving assembly is transmitted to the respective deliverer.

It is particularly advantageous if the control device has an internet connection. This internet connection can be a LAN and/or a WLAN connection. This enables an exchange of codes, for example QR codes, whereby a simple and reliable exchange of authorization information can take place.

In the case of receiving assemblies which are to be integrated into an opening in a building where, with respect to the room of the building, the opening in the building is provided at a very high position relative to the floor of the interior of the building, it is advantageous when the housing assembly comprises a bottom portion connecting the side portions to each other.

For preventing any danger, for example, to a child at play, or destruction of the receiving assembly by an object in the opening area, at least one closing edge protector in the form of a contact strip or a light barrier can advantageously be provided.

The guide assembly is advantageously configured as a frame assembly, wherein the frame assembly can comprise a hinge assembly, whereby a first frame portion is pivotable relative to a stationary second frame portion. It is thereby possible in a simple manner to use the original function of the opening in the building without even operating the door member. It is thus, for example, conceivable to replace a cellar hatch with the receiving assembly of the present invention, but that the first frame portion can simply be lifted together with the door member for offering access to the cellar room in a “typical manner”.

A second sensor can advantageously be provided as a monitoring sensor for the room of the building, which sensor is configured as an infrared sensor, ultrasonic sensor, ToF sensor etc. It is thereby possible in a simple manner to detect life forms, both human and animal, in the room of the building and to leave the door member in the second position until the life form has left the room of the building.

For preventing malfunctions and possibly carry out a remote inquiry as to whether the door member is in the desired position, a third sensor for detecting the first door position and a fourth sensor for detecting the second door position can be provided.

The door member is advantageously configured as a sectional door. A roller door can of course alternatively also be provided. It is further conceivable that two folding doors be used which are mechanically connected so that one respective folding door is open when the other one is closed, and vice versa.

A catch member, for example, a net, can be provided to ensure that packs and parcels can be placed or even dropped into the opening in the building in a simple manner. It is here advantageous in the case of several shipments when the catch member is fastened to the housing assembly via at least one pretensioning member to increase the available space for the shipments depending on the weight of the shipments.

The present invention will be explained in greater detail below under reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a portion of a residential building wall 2 of a residential building (which is not shown in detail) having an opening 4 in the residential building which is configured as a cellar opening and which is closed by a typical cellar door hatch 6. The opening 4 offers access to a large room 5 in the residential building, which is here configured as a cellar room. It is, for example, conceivable that, since no parcel pick-up stations exist and residents are absent, a parcel delivery person places the parcel in the room 5 by opening the cellar hatches. This would allow the parcel delivery person and other uninvited persons free access to the large room 5 of the residential building.

For enabling parcel delivery persons to carry out a manned or unmanned delivery in a simple manner without allowing further access to the large room 5 in the building and to the residential building, for example, by drones or autonomously driving delivery vehicles, a receiving assembly 8 is provided, a first embodiment of which is shown as a side view in FIG. 2. This receiving assembly 8 can replace the cellar door hatch 6 shown in FIG. 1 as a retrofit solution. The receiving assembly 8 here comprises a housing assembly 10 having two side portions 12, 14 which are connected to each other by a bottom portion 16. The two side portions 12, 14 and the bottom portion 16 here enclose a housing chamber 18 in which the shipments can be placed. The housing assembly 10 further has a guide assembly 20 which is configured as a frame assembly in the present exemplary embodiment and which comprises a first frame portion 22 and a second frame portion 24 in the present exemplary embodiment. Both frame portions 22, 24 are connected to each other via a hinge assembly 26, whereby it is possible to pivot the first frame portion 22 relative to the second frame portion 24 so that a typical access to the opening 4 in the housing chamber 18 is provided. This pivoting operation is indicated by a dashed line 28. Pivoting to the side is of course also conceivable.

In the guide assembly 20, and here in the two frame portions 22, 24, a door member 30 (see FIG. 3), which is configured as a sectional door, is displaceably mounted. A suitable drive device 32 is schematically indicated as the drive of the door member 30/sectional door. The drive device 32 can have a motor and a gearbox as is known in the art.

A control device 34 for controlling the drive device 32 is also provided. The control device 34 cooperates at least with a first sensor 36 (see FIG. 3) which is suitable for exchanging electronic authorization information. The first sensor 36 can be operable via a Bluetooth, GSM, NFC, RFID signal and/or an electronic radio signal. In the present exemplary embodiment, the control device 34 comprises a WLAN module which is connected to the internet. It is thereby possible that a QR code or a barcode is exchanged between the parcel delivery person and the control device 34, which QR code or barcode can be read by the first sensor 36. The QR code or the barcode can here be directly arranged on a parcel or can be displayed on a handheld 38.

Before the exchange of the authorization information, the door member 30 is located in the first frame portion 22, thus closing the opening 4 in the building. After the exchange of the authorization information, the drive device 32 displaces the door member 30 into the second frame portion 24, whereby the opening 4 in the building is exposed and the parcel can be placed in the housing chamber 18. The door member 30 blocks the way further into the building. The door member 30 can be returned into the first frame portion 22 after a preset period of time. For increasing safety, it is advantageous, however, when a second sensor 40 is provided as a monitoring sensor for the housing chamber 18. In the present exemplary embodiment, the second sensor 40 is provided as a monitoring sensor and is configured as a Tof (time of flight) sensor and monitors the housing chamber 18 with regard to life forms. It can thereby be provided that no human or animal is in the housing chamber 18 when the door member 30 is returned into the first door position. For identifying further malfunctions in a simpler manner, a third sensor 42 for detecting the first door position and a fourth sensor 44 for detecting the second door position can be provided. As is illustrated in the top view of FIG. 3, the door member 30 furthermore comprises a respective closing edge protector 46, 48 at a front side and at a rear side thereof which are respectively configured as a contact strip known in the art. It is thereby to be prevented that life forms are injured during the closing operation in the door movement path and that the door member 30 is protected against objects located in the door movement path.

In the present exemplary embodiment, a flexible catch member 50 which is configured as a net is provided which enables the deliverer to place the shipment in the housing chamber 18 in a simple and reliable manner. The net 50 is here respectively fastened to the side portions 12, 14 via a pretensioning member 52 to account for the increasing weight in the case of several shipments. On the opposite side of the net 50, the net 50 is fastened to the housing assembly 10 via a fixed supporting element 54. The pretensioning member 52 and/or the supporting element 54 can be unhooked for obtaining free access to the cellar room 5.

FIGS. 4 and 5 respectively show a schematic side view of a second embodiment of a receiving assembly 8 with different positions of the door member 30. The same components are designated by the same reference numerals and are not explained in detail here.

This embodiment generally differs from the first embodiment in that the housing assembly 10 does not comprise any side portions 12, 14 and bottom portion 16. It therefore has a much simpler configuration. The cellar room 5 here accessible via the opening 4 in the building was originally divided by a residential building wall 2 and a door provided therein which now no longer exists. Only the wall penetration 56 for this door is here illustrated in connection therewith. The first frame portion 22 of the guide assembly 20 is here arranged in the opening 4 in the building (see FIG. 1), while the second frame portion 24 is provided at the residential building wall 2 and the wall penetration 56. This receiving assembly 8 also defines a closed housing chamber 18 which, after the exchange of authorization information, is accessible for placing shipments therein, but which protects the other parts of the building while accessible.

It should be appreciated that, depending on the opening in the building and the configuration of the available room of the building, the receiving assembly can have a different configuration, in particular with regard to size and alignment.

The present invention is not limited to embodiments described herein; reference should be had to the appended claims. 

1-13. (canceled)
 14. A receiving assembly for receiving a shipment, the receiving assembly being configured to be used in an opening of a building so as to provide access to a room of the building, the receiving assembly comprising: a housing assembly which comprises at least one guide assembly, the housing assembly being configured to define, together with a part of the room of the building, a housing chamber; at least one door member which is movably mounted in the at least one guide assembly; a drive device which is configured to drive the at least one door member; a control device which is configured to control the drive device; and at least one first sensor which is configured to cooperate with the control device and to exchange electronic authorization information so that, in a first position of the at least one door member, the opening of the building is closed, and in a second position of the at least one door member, the opening of the building is open and the access to the room of the building is closed.
 15. The receiving assembly as recited in claim 14, wherein the opening of the building is a roof opening, a cellar opening, or a garage opening.
 16. The receiving assembly as recited in claim 14, wherein the housing assembly further comprises at least two side portions.
 17. The receiving assembly as recited in claim 16, wherein the housing assembly further comprises a bottom portion which is configured to connect the at least two side portions to each other.
 18. The receiving assembly as recited in claim 14, wherein the at least one first sensor exchanges the electronic authorization information via at least one of a Bluetooth signal, a GSM signal, a NFC signal, an RFID signal, and an electronic radio signal.
 19. The receiving assembly as recited in claim 14, wherein the control device is configured to have an internet connection.
 20. The receiving assembly as recited in claim 14, wherein the at least one door member comprises at least one closing edge protector in the form of a contact strip or a light barrier.
 21. The receiving assembly as recited in claim 14, wherein the at least one guide assembly is configured as a frame assembly.
 22. The receiving assembly as recited in claim 21, wherein the frame assembly comprises a first frame portion, a stationary second frame portion, and a hinge assembly via which the first frame portion is pivotable relative to the stationary second frame portion.
 23. The receiving assembly as recited in claim 14, further comprising: a second sensor as a monitoring sensor for the housing chamber.
 24. The receiving assembly as recited in claim 23, wherein the second sensor is an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor or a ToF sensor.
 25. The receiving assembly as recited in claim 14, further comprising: a third sensor which is configured to detect the first position of the at least one door member; and a fourth sensor which is configured to detect the second position of the at least one door member.
 26. The receiving assembly as recited in claim 14, wherein the at least one door member is configured as a sectional door.
 27. The receiving assembly as recited in claim 14, further comprising: a flexible catch member.
 28. The receiving assembly as recited in claim 27, wherein the flexible catch member is a net.
 29. The receiving assembly as recited in claim 27, further comprising: at least one pretensioning member which is configured to fasten the flexible catch member to the housing assembly. 